As the heavy clouds of 2024 roll to a close, Doomnation Radio proudly presents the Top 24 Albums of the Year. From soul-crushing riffs to melancholic melodies, these albums capture the essence of doom for us, weaving through doom-death, gothic, stoner, sludge, epic, atmospheric doom, and – not surprisingly, mind you – so much more. Come join Doomnation Radio in its humble reflection on the most incredible music that shaped our sonic journey this year. 
#1
2 Wolves – Not Worth It
I’m a simple woman! When I locate strong Paradise Lost vibes, in all their reacher repertoire and glory, I hit that Like button. That was the case with last year’s Air Not Meant for Us by Fires in the Distance, and it’s the case here with 2 Wolves and their ironically titled album, Not Worth It. Hailing from Finland, 2 Wolves delivers an album that’s a vibrant rollercoaster of colors, blending doom, gothic elements, death growls, clean vocals, and a touch of everything in between. Despite its name, this album is absolutely worth it: a remarkable showcase of doomy eclecticism and dynamic artistry.
Well done and totally worth it.
https://2wolves1.bandcamp.com/
#2
Crypt Sermon – The Stygian Rose
The Stygian Rose is a magnificent example of epic doom metal done right, evoking shades of Solitude Aeternus at their peak. The album takes listeners on an adventurous doom journey, so dust off that old cloak and hit the road. Each track unfolds like a chapter in an epic saga, packed with imagination and storytelling.
This is power. This is drama. Oh yes, this is DOOM.
https://cryptsermon.bandcamp.com/
#3
Mother of Graves – The Periapt Of Absence
Mother of Graves’ The Periapt of Absence solidifies their place as one of doom/death’s most compelling acts of 2024. Building on their wonderful debut, the Indianapolis band combines melancholic introspection with bursts of restrained aggression, creating a sound that pays homage to classics like Paradise Lost and Anathema while slowly carving their own distinct identity. Brandon Howe’s emotive growls enhance the album’s soulful themes, further developing its sorrowful tone with firm assertiveness. An absolute pleasure from start to finish.
https://motherofgraves.bandcamp.com/
#4
Angmodnes – Rot of the Soul
Rot of the Soul promises and delivers. Its name alone sets the tone for the bleak journey within, and the music more than lives up to its weighty title. Hailing from the Netherlands, Angmodnes crafts an experience steeped in emotional depth that is painful and discomforting. The album feels like a severed, bloody hand emerging from the shadows, gripping you with rusty nails and dragging you relentlessly into the depths of hell. Ouch. In a year already filled with strong doom-death releases, Rot of the Soul confidently secures its place as one of the most notable offerings.
https://angmodnes.bandcamp.com
#5
Blissful Stream – Fighting For The Cross
Fighting for the Cross is an enthralling journey into classic doom metal from Blissful Stream, the Swedish one-man project helmed by Martin Sällström. The album is steeped in epic compositions that evoke the ominous weight of an impending apocalypse. A standout moment for me, the track “Our Final Hour” is nothing short of a doom metal triumph, with its angry, prophetic vibes that instill a sense of guilt for the harshness of this world. Adding to the album’s atmosphere, the cover art, a 1829 painting by Hans Wikström, beautifully complements its exploration of themes like herd mentality, inner turmoil, and existential struggles. An essential addition to any classic doom collection!
https://blissfulstream.bandcamp.com/
⭐ Q&A: Blissful Stream
#6
Arð – Untouched By Fire
Untouched By Fire is a deeply atmospheric work, crafted by Mark Deeks, the UK-based multi-instrumentalist and composer also known for his work in Winterfylleth. As a solo project, Arð allows Deeks to fully embrace his vision, blending elements of monastic choral music with the reflective weight of atmospheric doom. The interplay of the well-crafted instrumentation and mournful melodies shapes a special kind of atmosphere that showcases Deeks’ talent: creating something that is minimalistic and huge at the same time. This is beautifully complemented by the choral arrangements, evoking an ecclesiastical grandeur that feels absolutely timeless.
https://ardnorthumbria.bandcamp.com/
#7
Endonomos – II – Englithenment
In their sophomore release, Austria’s Endonomos demonstrates a mastery of balancing dualities – melody and heaviness, beautiful clean vocals and death growls, spiritual ascendant and existential dread. These contrasts are what make Endonomos II – Enlightenment such a compelling doom listen. Unlike its title, Enlightenment offers no easy answers, but confronts with the primal forces of life and death head-on, finding moments of clarity amid the chaos.
https://endonomos.bandcamp.com/
⭐ Review
#8
Mourning Dawn – The Foam of Despair
Mourning Dawn‘s latest album is a crushingly tender exploration of sorrow – as The Foam of Despair captures the essence of despair in all its shades. Laurent’s extraordinary vocals lead the charge, conveying raw emotion with haunting depth. Every track builds on the French group’s legacy, delivering a darker, heavier, and more emotionally charged experience than ever before. This is an exceptional doom-death release, packed with intensity and emotion.
https://mourningdawn.bandcamp.com/music
#9
Stygian Crown – Funeral For A King
Funeral for a King is a towering slab of epic doom metal. With its MASSIVE sound and medieval-inspired themes, the album is simply fantastic. Featuring the powerful, coarse awe-inspiring vocals of Melissa Pinion, this is a must-hear for fans of classic and epic doom. Is this what a king’s funeral sounds like? If so, it’s truly fit for royalty!
https://stygiancrown.bandcamp.com/
#10
Orphean Passage – Alone
Apart is a deeply emotional debut from these South African newcomers to the doom-death scene. The album masterfully evokes themes of (lost?) memories and nostalgia. The music feels like a journey through time, capturing the pain and beauty of cherished moments slipping away. An impressive introduction and simply a lovely doom-death offering of pure melancholia.
https://orpheanpassage.bandcamp.com/
#11
Avernus – Grievances
Another great comeback this year: Grievances marks the return of Avernus after an extended hiatus, and the album feels like it has been simmering under the weight of that absence. The Chicago group has crafted an album that channels the anguish depicted in its dramatic cover art into a cohesive, emotionally complex listening experience. This return may have been long in coming, but it solidifies Avernus as a band that understands how to make the heavy feel meaningful.
https://avernus.bandcamp.com/
⭐ Review
#12
The Gates of Slumber – S/T
BOOM. What a return! More than 10 years after their latest studio release, The Gates of Slumber’s self-titled 2024 album marks a hell of a comeback. Packed with their beloved heavy dose of classic, Wino-inspired doom, this release feels like the triumphant resurrection of a slumbering giant. Welcome back, doom legends, you’ve been missed!
https://thegatesofslumber.bandcamp.com/
#13
Officium Triste – Hortus Venenum
Hortus Venenum is a remarkable testament to the Dutch masters’ 30-year legacy in the doom-death genre. Perfect for those introspective, rainy moments of the soul, the album features unforgettable, irresistibly catchy melodies that linger long after the final note. This release solidifies Officium Triste‘s position at the top of their game, delivering doom-death at its finest: poignant, powerful, and utterly captivating.
https://officiumtriste.bandcamp.com/
#14
Deinonychus – Fatalist
Fatalist is a harrowing plunge into the darkest depths of doom and black metal. Active since 1995, the Dutch band is renowned for their raw emotional intensity, and this album is no exception. Fatalist delivers absolutely bombastic riffs, tortured vocals, and an oppressive atmosphere that lingers long after the final note. It’s an unrelenting exploration of despair, and a cornerstone-to-be of doom/black metal.
https://deinonychus.bandcamp.com/album/fatalist
#15
Hamferð – Men Guðs hond er sterk
Men Guðs hond er sterk is a deeply atmospheric and emotional journey into the heart of doom. Hailing from the Faroe Islands, Hamferð draws on their cultural heritage to seamlessly weave traditional Faroese influences into the weight of doom metal, crafting a truly distinctive sonic identity. Backed by Jón Aldará’s commanding vocals, the album’s title, translating to “But the Hand of God is Strong,” underscores its existential depth. A stunning and memorable addition to this special band’s discography.
https://hamferd.bandcamp.com/
#16
Bon Braguer – Hora de Vestir el Muló
Bon Braguer’s Hora de Vestir el Muló (“Time to Dress the Mule” in Catalan) is a fiery fusion of sludge and hardcore metal. Hailing from Torelló, Spain, the band unleashes 11 intense tracks sung in Catalan, brimming with raw energy and a defiant punk attitude. The album’s closing track adds a distinctive twist, transforming a poem by Enric Casasses into a powerful tune, showcasing the band’s creative depth. Unapologetically rebellious, this release is bound to get you in the mood for some gritty sludge and punk-infused chaos.
https://bonbraguer.bandcamp.com/
#17
Kaputth – I
An enigmatic gem from a band I can tell you the following about:
– They hail from Nuremberg, Germany.
– This is their first LP.
– They describe themselves as “German Funeral Mountain Doom Wizards.”
I say, all three points make for a solid introduction, but what truly matters is that I delivers as one hell of a doom album – monumental, highly emotional, and unapologetically in your face. The riffs are monstrous, and the vocals lean toward the raw, histrionic, and painful spectrum. It’s an intriguing release that lingers in the mind like, well, a German funeral mountain doom wizard, or so I’ve been told.
More of this, please.
https://kaputthdoom.bandcamp.com/album/i
#18
The Obsessed – Gilded Sorrow
Gilded Sorrow is the type of release that captures THE timeless spirit of classic doom metal. Personally, having experienced The Obsessed‘s show in Karlsruhe, Germany, in 2023 – one of the most touching live performances I’ve ever witnessed – this album holds an even deeper significance for me, serving as a perfect follow-up to that unforgettable night. With arguably one of their strongest line-ups to date, Wino and crew deliver one of the finest albums in The Obsessed‘s long, riff-heavy career of doom. Nothing more, nothing less, just pure badassery in all its glory.
An absolute delight.
https://ripplemusic.bandcamp.com/album/gilded-sorrow
#19
Buzzard – Doom Folk
Buzzard’s Doom Folk is an album that defies expectations, seamlessly bridging the haunting weight of doom metal with the stripped-down honesty of folk music. This one-man project by Christopher Thomas Elliott, based in Massachusetts, blends gloomy-yet-cheeky, Sabbath-inspired riffs with the raw storytelling tradition of American folk. The result is something wholly original and unique. The truly remarkable thing about Doom Folk is that it’s not your typical metal project, but even more impressive is how it remains undeniably metal in spirit and execution.
https://buzzarddoomfolk.bandcamp.com/
⭐ Q&A: Buzzard
#20
Mortal Blood – Harbingers of Chaos
Mortal Blood‘s Harbingers of Chaos marks the first full-length album from the Baltimore musician Dan Krell. With its raw, savage-edged production, the album offers an intriguing mishmash of styles, blending doom, black, and death metal with Krell’s unmistakable love for Gothic rock, a combination sure to bring a dark smile to one’s face (certainly to mine). The Dark 80s’-infused closing track, “The Outcast,” particularly stands out, showcasing Krell’s knack for atmospheric, genre-blurring compositions. This debut leaves a lasting impression and sparks anticipation for what’s to come – a truly promising effort.
https://mortalblood.bandcamp.com/
#21
High On Fire – Cometh The Storm
High On Fire’s Cometh the Storm roars with their signature blend of sludge and stoner metal. Featuring the powerful drumming of newcomer Coady Willis (Big Business, Melvins), the album delivers punishing riffs and relentless energy. Marking their return after a six-year gap since 2018, this release isn’t some fancy reinvention (good!) but rather a thunderous continuation of everything their music has always delivered, offering plenty to satisfy any Matt Pike worshippers out there.
https://highonfire.bandcamp.com/
#22
Kalgon – S/T
Kalgon‘s self-titled debut delivers a potent fusion of stoner and sludge metal, marked by heavy, groove-driven, fuzz-laden riffs backed by gritty vocals. The album takes some bold strides, occasionally venturing into the atmospheric realms of post-metal, showcasing the band’s adventurous approach to heavy music. The production is unpolished yet powerful, enhancing the album’s unrefined aesthetic. A standout release from this North Carolina group, the album firmly establishes Kalgon as a promising force in the stoner/sludge metal scene.
https://kalgon.bandcamp.com/album/kalgon
#23
Silent Deep Ocean – The Throne of Whispers and Dust
Atmospheric Doom/Gothic Metal from the US, crafted by the singular vision of Gregory Ritchey. This one-man project seamlessly combines harsh guttural vocals with richly melodic instrumentation. The delicate interplay of female vocals and piano adds a layer of depth, balancing an enveloping bleakness with a faint, lingering delight. Don’t miss the companion album released later this year, Of the Soul and Saltwater, which beautifully expands and sharpens on this haunting soundscape, and offers an interesting dive into the process of music creation.
https://silentdeepocean5.bandcamp.com/
#24
Coffin Storm – Arcana Rising
Coffin Storm‘s Arcana Rising takes the 24th spot in the 24 of ’24. The group’s debut pays tribute to the foundations of traditional doom metal mixed with a healthy dose of thrash, drawing inspiration from bands like Pentagram, while injecting a mischievous spirit akin to Witchfinder General. It’s a fun and easygoing take on doom metal, providing a satisfying listen without being overly demanding. Brought to you by Apollyon (Aura Noir, Lamented Souls), Bestial Tormentor (Infernö, Lamented Souls), and Fenriz (Darkthrone, Isengard).
https://peaceville.bandcamp.com/album/arcana-rising
⭐ Review: Arcana Rising
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